Why We Do It

Building Character . . . Changing Lives

Why Two by Two?

One of the most difficult challenges in homes, communities, and educational settings is teaching children basic character values that are so desperately needed in today's society. Escalating social-emotional problems have caused our youth to struggle with:

• Peer Pressure
• Self-control
• Social Media
• Problem Solving
  
• Bullying
• Decision Making

As a consequence, we live in a world that has become less kind. Here are just a few statistics that pose great risk to our children:

• There is a measurable dip in empathy among today's youth. Teens are now 40 percent lower in empathy levels than three decades ago, and in the same period, narcissism has increased 58 percent.
  
• There has been a clear increase in peer cruelty. Youth bullying has increased 52 percent in just four years (2003-2007) and bullying can now be evidenced in children as young as three. Cyber-bullying has tripled within a single year.
  
• The plugged-in, high-pressure culture is leading to a mental health epidemic among young people. One in five youth meets the criteria for a mental disorder in their lifetime. Teen stress is now at higher levels than that reported by adults.[1]

The Two by Two® approach assumes an optimistic view of life with the goal to inspire change, build core values, and generate positive environments in educational settings, families, and communities through social-emotional learning.

 1 Four reasons take from Borba, Michele, Ed.D. Unselfie-Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World (2016), p. xv-xvi